Would you invest $2 million in Facebook?

Lydia Leavitt, 3rd January 2011

If you had a chance to invest in Facebook, would you do it? Well, Goldman Sachs is giving its clients the opportunity - but at a cool $2 million minimum.

Although Goldman Sachs declined comment, in an email circulated on Sunday night, the investment firm asked clients if they wanted to invest in a "private company that is considering a transaction to raise additional capital."

The relationship between Facebook and Goldman Sachs is nothing new, seeing as the firm and a Russian investor invested and raised over $500 million for Facebook. The firm also values the company at a staggering $50 billion although past numbers have put the figure around $800 million.

Further details of the email revealed that clients would have to invest a minimum of $2 million and would be prohibited from selling their shares until 2012.

It also warned clients that recipients who trade in secondary markets that compete with Facebook, may want to avoid investing since they may receive restricted information that would make trading in the space illegal.

Investing in these secondary markets would be banned for another six months after participation.

The New York Times explains that Facebook is a private company that trades in the public secondary markets.

Sellers in these markets are typically people that work in the new media space and investors looking to back new ventures. Buyers consist of people looking for the next big thing to come out of Silicon Valley or elsewhere.

Earlier this week, Facebook was confirmed as the fastest-growing website on the Internet, predictably jumpstarting external investment efforts.